3/20 Update
Posted by Richard Lopresto on 3/20/2020
update 3/20
Good afternoon!
With our first week of distance learning coming to a close, we wanted to send out some information and suggestions to keep everyone in the loop and to provide the best opportunities for our students.
DISTANCE LEARNING
While we are under the state’s current school closures through March 30, it’s a good idea to keep up with playing at home. Keeping up with daily playing will maintain muscle strength and memory as well as reading skills and playing technique. During these unusual times, it is important to take steps to maintain a sense of normalcy. Every day, we play at school. While students’ home practice routines typically vary widely, everyone has that time at school playing on their instruments. It is highly recommended to use that same time we’d be playing at school at home during this time. Not only is playing music fun (the reason we do this in the first place!), playing at home will help make the transition back to school much easier. The SmartMusic assignments sent home for Technique Class bookwork and Full Band music are great ways to keep up with playing. Nothing submitted through Smart Music will hurt grades. These submissions are just like class...students play for us and get feedback. Either we move on to the next thing or they continue working on that exercise/concept/section and then try again. Smart Music just gives us an opportunity to do that remotely.
Don’t forget to check Google Classroom and our social media sites for additional opportunities to experience music while we are on our extended spring break!
Any students who would like to submit photos of their home practice session, please do! District 47 is looking for photos to highlight learning that is occuring at home. We would love to highlight what our band students are up to!
IGSMA DISTRICT CONTEST
Since the school closings began this week, we received updated instructions that recordings would be accepted up to three weeks after school resumes, whenever that may be. With this new information, Jazz Ensemble is planning to make and submit a recording within a week or two of our return. Jazz Ensemble members should keep working on their contest music as well as get a jump start on the new music that went out early this week - whenever we get back, there will be lots to do!
FOX VALLEY HONORS BAND
The FVHB sectionals for Monday have been canceled. We do not know if/when they will be rescheduled or if the event will even happen. We will continue to provide information as we have it so that parents and the selected 8th grade students will be informed.
BLUE LAKE FINE ARTS CAMP
With school cancellations happening nationwide, Blue Lake has extended their scholarship application window. When we return to school, we’ll be in touch with our representative to reschedule his visit.
EMAILS
Parents, please double check that your email information is correct in ParentVue and update as needed. Students, ask your parents to do this in case they are not receiving our emails!!!
STAN KENTON LEGACY ORCHESTRA - cancelled
As of Wednesday evening, the Kenton Band cancelled their spring tour. That means that our joint concert on April 22 is also cancelled. Their director, Mike Vax, is working with all the host venues from this spring to investigate a one-year postponement, to April 2021. We are investigating the possibility of making this shift, but as you can imagine there are a lot of pieces involved, even without considering the current climate. If we are able to move forward, we’ll get you that information as soon as we are able. For everyone who has already purchased tickets or ad spots, we will refund your payments. We can start to process those once we are back in school; your patience is appreciated.
BAND BANQUET
Each year in May we take an evening to celebrate the accomplishments of our young musicians with an evening of food and awards. This year the band banquet will be held on Thursday, May 21. For many years we had a few wonderful, hardworking parents who handled all of the arrangements for decorations and food, however, they have moved on to the high school and we are in need of some people to take over! Mrs. Carslon has generously agreed to be our parent point-person for this year’s event. If you are willing to help her out please let us know so that we can pass along your contact information.
You made it to the end - YAY! Have a great weekend and stay safe!
~Mrs. Wooden and Mr. LoPresto